Pushing Boundaries
by Ayumu Foxtail-chan
Summary: A little collection of drabbles revolving around our favorite Fairy Tail couple: Natsu and Lucy! (#15 - His Journey - He'd changed so much over the year he was gone.)
1. Moving On

**Hello there. A little mini-collection of NaLu drabbles. ****They'll all be between 100 and 999 words so this is about the shortest one will ever be. :D**** Cute and silly sweetness ahead, hopefully. XD**

**I hope you Enjoy!**

* * *

_~She proved to be the best distraction from searching for Igneel.~_

* * *

_**Moving On**_

Since the day he'd met her, his bone-crushing and desperate search for Igneel seemed to be slowly fading. He still searched for him, his father, to no end, but it seemed a little less urgent now.

He figured it was what they called "moving on". His feet that'd been stuck deep in the soil of denial were slowly breaking free, thanks to her digging, thanks to her smiles, thanks to her helping him every step of the way through any of his toils and his troubles.

It was still always there, but she proved to be the best distraction possible.

* * *

_The Duel World Challenge - Elemental Hero Knopse - write about something crumbling - "soil" - 100 words_


	2. A Little Too Far

_~She loved Happy to death but sometimes he just got on her nerves.~_

* * *

_**A Little Too Far**_

She loved Happy to death and he teased her about everything, but sometimes it just really got on her nerves.

This was one of those times. She dug her fingernails into the table, collecting dirt underneath them as she glared over at the cat who was snickering uncontrollably, annoyance growing and boiling inside her.

And when she found out that one paw was dressed to look like her, one to look like Natsu, and Happy began playing out a very inaccurate –at least she hoped inaccurate- "wedding scene" between the two of them, she drew the line.

"Shut up cat!"

* * *

_The Duel World Challenge - Elemental Hero Knopse - write about something growing - soil - 100 words_

**Something incredibly stupid and silly and pointless for my love of when Lucy yells at Happy. *snickers***

**~Foxtail-chan**


	3. Love Poem from a Dragon Slayer

_~He was sweet in his own incredibly weird way.~_

* * *

_**Love Poem from a Perfectly Manly Dragon**_** Slayer**  
(Shut up Gray)

Roses are red  
Happy is blue  
If you were a job request  
I'd be sure to choose you

You're funny, amusing  
Smart, badass and sweet  
The guild without you-  
It would not be complete

Your bed is so soft-  
Something money can't buy  
I know you don't like it  
But please let me stay… aye.

Like a fire dragon roar  
Or a solid script moose  
Life just wouldn't be great  
Without you here, Luce

_P.S. I totally wrote this on my own. Levy and Happy didn't help at all. Seriously. I swear._

He was sweet in his own extremely weird way. She snickered.

* * *

_The Duel World Challenge - Skull Servant - write about something funny - "books" - 103 words_

**Because the mental image of Natsu trying to write a poem makes me giggle uncontrollably. XD Incredibly silly and stupid but ohwell. XD  
Also I just started a drabble collection like this for GaLe called "Crushing Limits" if you're interested. XD  
**

**~Foxtail-chan**


	4. Interruptions

_~He always interrupted during the best parts of books.~_

* * *

_**Interruptions**_

Lucy couldn't remember a book more nerve-wracking. This stupid book. This book that Levy'd given her had kept her up at night for nearly a week now. She sat with her knees to her chest, her heart hammering in her ribcage as she bit on her nails. She was nearing the end.

The protagonist walked… thump… he stared at that door… thump… he raised his hand to the knob… thump… he turned it and-

"HEY LUCE! I think your window's stuck."

"KYAA!" she screamed, throwing the book across the room, her heart nearly exploding. "Dammit Natsu!" she yelled, glaring at the window Natsu was desperately trying to open.

* * *

_The Duel World Challenge - Skull Servant - write about something frightening - "books" - 108 words_

**Another incredibly stupid and silly one. Ohwell. XD**

**~Foxtail-chan**


	5. Chance

_~It appeared sometimes as if fate itself wanted them to find each other.~_

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_**Chance**_

In the vast and churning ocean of life she sometimes wondered how she found him. Of all the crowds and swarms of people, of all the members in the guild that could've led her to her dream, what were the chances that him, her rock, would be the one she met?

What were the chances that she happened to be in that crowd and he happened to be the one to snap her out of the fake Salamander's spell? That she bought him lunch and he happened to be a Fairy?

When calculated, the chances were slim, but then again fate always had its way of stepping in.

* * *

_The Duel World Challenge - Kairyu-Shin - write about an ocean - "rock" - 108 words_

**I think NaLu is the only pairing that I've ever shipped from episode 1 and kept with it for the rest of the series... and it's still ongoing. Kudos to Mashima for creating two characters like that. XD**

**~Foxtail-chan**


	6. Window Master

_~He was definitely the master of her window.~_

* * *

_**Window Master**_

He'd become an absolute master when it came to her window, if he did say so himself. He knew that one corner that if he hit it hard enough the window would just pop right open. He knew that if, for some reason, it was locked, he could just jiggle one frame, flick one corner, and the glass would fall out. He could reach his hand in then and undo the lock, put the glass back, and wallah, she never knew he'd done a thing.

He'd get weird looks from her when she spotted him on the bed and she'd been absolutely positive she'd locked the window. Although, he had no idea why she'd lock it in the first place. He could keep out any intruders himself, of course.

Yes, he'd become the master of that window, and for some reason he took a great deal of pride in it.

* * *

_The Crusade in the Celestial Realm Challenge - Celestial Gate- write about someone passing some sort of barrier_

**Another incredibly silly one. But I'm just full of silliness so I guess it's fitting. XD I hope you liked!**

**~Foxtail-chan**


	7. The Eighteenth Time

_~The eighteenth time he held her hand she began to think there was more for them.~_

* * *

_**The Eighteenth Time**_

It wasn't until the eighteenth time he grabbed her hand that she began to think there was more for them. Eighteen times. She didn't know whether she was oblivious or if it was just something that took that much time.

It wasn't a romantic tale where two people fell in love at first sight. No. Did she like him after she first met him? A little. She found him odd and intriguing but she guessed she liked him from the start, but she never thought there was something else. She didn't think there was something more for them.

Not until the eighteenth time. The first time he grabbed her hand was the second time she'd seen him. It took her seventeen times later to realize that she… that both of them were meant for something more than just friendship.

She figured that perhaps not all stories were made for books. Some took a little longer, but perhaps those were the ones that lasted.

* * *

_The Fanficer's Monopoly Challenge - write a fic without a 'y' in it_

**Never knew how much I used the letter 'y' until I wrote without one. Heh. Couldn't use the word Fairy. T-T  
I dunno, I kinda see NaLu as being a "love at first sight" thing but neither one of them realized it. Maybe it's just me. *shrugs*  
Oh and I also started a Gruvia drabble collection to finish out collections for the "big three" Fairy Tail pairings... if you're interested. XD  
**

**~Foxtail-chan**


	8. Flowing Memories

_~She really loved the river outside her apartment.~_

* * *

_**Flowing Memories**_

I'd grown to love that river. The one that flowed just outside my apartment was now a source of memories. At first, it was simply the place where the pervy men whistled from their boats, but now it was something more.

That river that Gray pushed Natsu in, that river that Happy fished in from a rock for hours, catching nothing. That river which had once carried the beautiful Rainbow Sakura tree that Natsu'd been so worried I wouldn't see.

The river became much more the longer I stayed at Fairy Tail, a living reminder of my newfound family, the family I treasured above all, and of course my partner who'd made it all possible.

* * *

_The Duel World Challenge - Kairyu-Shin - write about a river - "rock" -115 words &amp; The Becoming the Tamer King Challenge - Registration - write a fic from the POV of a character you're comfortable with (Lucy)_

**The Rainbow Sakura episode is still probably one of my favorites. Every time I watch it I still let out a d'aww.  
I also dislike writing first person POV. So this was sadly tough for me.  
I hope you enjoyed! :D  
**

**~Foxtail-chan**


	9. Silent Conflict

_~They'd gotten so close they could even fight without making a sound.~_

* * *

_**Silent Conflict**_

If asked if they ever fought, Natsu and Lucy would think for a moment before shaking their heads no and laughing. It was true: they didn't really fight. No one else in the guild had seen it either so it wasn't like they could object.

The truth of the matter was though, that Natsu and Lucy did in fact fight. Just not… aloud. They'd become so close that they had short little quiet spats that no one else even noticed.

Natsu would take a job and Lucy would put her hands on her hips. _"C'mon Natsu, I need rent money and that'd only cover an eighth of it. Let's take a job with a bigger reward."_

Natsu would grin. _"But it looks like fun, Luce!"_

She'd sigh. _"I need rent. Pick another."_

He'd blow a small flame. _"All the 'uns with big rewards are boooring. Rich people and bodyguards. Yuck."_

She'd widen her eyes. _"If _you _want to take that job then fine. I'll pick another."_

He'd flinch. _"Luuuucccyyyyyy."_

Her nose would flare. _"Your choice."_

He'd narrow his eyes. _"We have time to take more than just one job before your rent is due, y'know."_

She'd glare at him out of the corner of her eye. _"Then we have enough time to go on one of these "boring rich people" jobs before we do that one."_

His eyebrow would raise. _"Really? You'll go on this one if we blow through one of those?"_

She'd scratch her ear. _"Yeah, sure, if you can get it done that fast."_

He'd snatch a paper off the job board and put it into his pocket along with the other job request form he'd wanted. "Alright let's go!" And in a cloud of dust he'd be out the door.

The guild only heard that last sentence, but little did they know their prized pair had a small little spat. Even Happy was confused.

No, Lucy and Natsu weren't sure when they'd gotten so close they could talk or argue without even saying a word, but it'd happened, and they guessed maybe it could come in handy sometime or another.

* * *

_The Mega-Prompts Challenge - word prompts #153 - natural_

**I have a headcanon Natsu and Lucy fight like this a lot. Or have silent conversations a lot. And Happy just looks back and forth like "you two are crazy" as they make facial expressions at each other, haha. XD**

**~Foxtail-chan**


	10. Leap of Faith

_~After that moment she knew that, no matter what happened, he'd always be there for her.~_

* * *

_**Leap of Faith**_

Lucy had considered herself to have taken many leaps of faith in her lifetime. However, the most literal leap, and the only one she remembered with a sharp, crystal clear image was when she'd taken a deep breath and fallen backwards off that ledge.

Looking back on when she'd tipped backwards she realized it wasn't the most nerve-wracking thing she'd do by a long shot. Since then she'd been involved in many Fairy Tail conflicts, each one seemingly getting more and more dangerous. Even so, that one leap of faith was what she remembered the most, and one she… treasured.

She'd fallen, her heart praying that she was right. He'd be there. He'd be there to catch her; she just knew it. She hadn't seen him, heard him, anything, but she knew he'd be there. She hadn't known him for long but… she could trust him.

He'd be that one person if he caught her. That one person she could trust no matter what. That one person she could lean on and help carry. That one person that she would be satisfied being partners, and maybe a little more, with for the rest of her life.

She'd shut her eyes, praying to whatever gods were out there as she felt the wind whipping past her face, her stomach lurching into her throat as she fell. Where would she land?

And with a yell he was there. Like a sack of potatoes he caught her, using himself as a shield and landing pad as they both skidded to a halt, gravel flying in their wake.

She'd remember that moment for the rest of her life in perfect resolution. Coming to a halt, the dust clearing, and looking down to see him. He'd been there. He'd probably run for miles. He was probably nearly dead-tired and yet he was there, panting and looking just about as relieved as she felt.

She treasured that leap of faith because it was the one true moment when she realized that Natsu was something much more than just a close guild mate to her. He would be there for her, even if she couldn't see or hear him. No matter what, he'd always be there.

* * *

_The Number Sequence and Lots of Prompts Challenge - #2 - land &amp; The Leap Year Calendar Challenge - July 2nd - write your first entry for a challenge_

**No matter where Fairy Tail goes and what NaLu moments there are, the ones from the beginning of the series like this one will always be my favorite. XD**

**~Foxtail-chan**


	11. Singed

_~She'd be dipped if he wasn't burning her clothes off on purpose.~_

* * *

_**Singed**_

He had great control over his fire. She knew he did, but she'd be dipped if he still didn't overdo it every single time. She'd watched him that day with Asuka, firing out his little pellets of embers, each one hitting right on the mark. He could control where it went, and he could control how much fire he produced.

He could. And yet that goofy sheepish grin always came onto his face after a job was done, the town they'd protected from the monster smoldering in the background.

"Woops," he'd say, laughing awkwardly and giving her that child-like smile.

She'd sigh, watching her rent money go up in smoke. She wasn't sure whether he just got too caught up in the moment, or if he just simply didn't _want_ to control his power. He had fun going all-out, after all.

And while no, she didn't enjoy having to go on extra jobs just to make ends meet when she should've been able to pay for necessities with just one outing, it was just who Natsu was. She couldn't change him.

However, her suspicions slowly arose the more she was with him. He'd burned houses, carriages, forests, beasts, even the unsuspecting criminal, but she'd never been burned herself.

Until that one job. It'd been a cinch. So easy he could do it with his eyes closed, and with his eyes closed he did. And before she could say anything to stop him, he'd turned her way and bam, his fire engulfed her.

She flinched, waiting for the pain, but it never came. But when she opened her eyes, something much worse than pain, embarrassment, made her face a brighter red than any flame he could produce. She screamed, covering herself as best she could with her hands. He'd burned the clothes right off her.

He laughed, along with Happy as she scrambled to find something to wear, the townspeople whistling and catcalling to her.

It'd been a fluke… and yet it'd happened again not only a week later. She didn't have a single burn from his fire, but her clothes hadn't withstood the heat.

He'd said it was an accident, laughing and brushing it off, but when the number of times ticked upwards of five, she knew he had to be doing it on purpose.

He could control his fire, even if he pretended he couldn't. He could be so precise he could singe the fabric from her skin without touching her.

When confronted he'd laugh animatedly, saying she was silly and he'd never do that and oh, did she want to go get dinner? He always changed the subject.

And so instead of arguing with him, or telling him he was such a liar, and that he knew exactly what he was doing, and instead of taking the humiliation of nakedness again, she decided to outwit him.

And the next time she was engulfed in his flames, her new fire-proof clothing keeping her completely covered and unscathed, even after his flames ceased, nothing was more satisfying than the look of slight disappointment on his face and the knowing look on her face that told him he'd been caught red-handed.

* * *

_The Number Sequence and Lots of Prompts Challenge - #4 - accidental_

**Just an incredibly goofy little thing. Natsu likes to play the oblivious card in my mind. I think he's a lot smarter than people take him for. XD**

**Thank you so much for the absolutely fantastic reviews and whatnot! I always love to hear what you thought! :D**

**~Foxtail-chan**


	12. A Never-Ending Journey

_~Even as the winds changed and they all moved away, she never once lost the faith that it'd return to the way it'd once been.~_

* * *

_**A Never-Ending Journey**_

She would've been lying had she said that him leaving hadn't hurt. It had, deeply. However, despite that deep-seeded pain she had as she watched them all leave, she never lost hope.

Never, had it _ever_ crossed her mind to lose hope.

Even as she moved on with her life, feeling connected to her guild family only by the map she had pinned to her wall, tracking them, she never lost hope.

Because the day he had taken her hand, giving her that smile she'd grown to love and taking her to her new home, she knew it was the beginning of a journey and an adventure that would never end, no matter what. And she wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

_Duel World Challenge - Sonic Shooter - write about the start of a journey - "breeze" - 120 words &amp; The Becoming the Tamer King Challenge - Meeting Asulongmon - write anything_

**I loved that Lucy kept like a tracking web for her guildmates. The moment when Natsu saw it was heartbreaking and so sweet and even though not much was said, I got all teary-eyed. Haha!**

**~Foxtail-chan**


	13. But the Fire is So Delightful

_~Lucy loved the winter. Especially with a Dragon Slayer's flames crackling in the fireplace .~_

* * *

_**But the Fire is So Delightful**_

Winter. The time for toasty hot chocolate, cozy blankets, and snowball fights. The time for carols, decorations, and cheer. Lucy loved wintertime. She had when she was little as she helped the maids hang up garland and lights around the mansion, and she did now, even though her apartment couldn't hold anywhere near as many decorations.

She loved humming to herself as the snowflakes fell gently outside the window and the happiness that seemed to just drift through the air at this time of year.

She dusted off her hands, putting them on her hips and nodding at her work. She'd completely decked out her apartment from head to foot. It looked almost as if a bomb of red, green, and white had gone off as tinsel, wreaths, and more snowmen figures than she could count sat sparkling around the room. Plue oddly blended in, sitting off in a corner and staring with wide eyes at his reflection in a large spherical ornament in his hands.

There was a tree in the corner, twinkling. There were candles in the windows and even fake snow in a few corners of her kitchen. But best of all, there was a crackling fire in the fire place… a fire that was ever-so-steadily complaining at her as she'd twirled around the room to decorate.

Natsu lay on his back, his head in the fireplace, his feet out on the living room floor, and his arms crossed. He pouted, puffing out small balls of fire as he grumbled unhappily to himself.

"Hey, do it right," Lucy snapped, pointing at him.

He sighed, turning his puffs into a steady stream of flames. There we go, it was much more cheery if she had a real fire in the fireplace. "_Luuuuucy_," he whined, his flames spewing out of control for a brief second. "When can I stop?"

She glanced around the room once more before replying. "When you've learned that any fire in my fireplace isn't food. I lit it for a reason and it wasn't to feed you."

He grumbled to himself, spitting flames up the chimney in frustration as she allowed herself another smile. Yes, the fire was the perfect touch to the atmosphere, and while he'd eagerly gobbled up her first try, the flames he produced were a little warmer, anyway. They looked a lot brighter, too. And while she felt a little bad for making him sit there for what, about three hours now? She had to admit a dragon's flames made her winter scene seem a little livelier. She'd have to ask him to do it again sometime.

* * *

_The Number Sequence and Lots of Prompts Challenge - #1 - winter _

**Just another little silly one... partially as my way of wishing winter would come sooner. XD After the little extra chapter where Lucy and Natsu babysat Asuka, I can see Natsu being punished by Lucy and her forcing him to be her fire. Weird headcanons are weird. XD**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!**

**~Foxtail-chan**


	14. Her Journey

_~She'd changed so much over the year he was gone.~_

* * *

**_Her Journey_**

On the day Lucy had met Natsu and joined Fairy Tail, officially making her dream a reality, she could've never guessed, or have been ready for, what the road ahead held.

Even in her wildest dreams and most absurd imaginations, nothing even came close. Never would she have been prepared for the grueling jobs, dire situations, acute heartache, the strong sense of family, or the overwhelming joys.

And although not being prepared for whatever was thrown at her and her teammates was a little scary, she figured she wouldn't have grown the way she had. And so in a way, the unexpectedness of it all had been perfect.

The years with Fairy Tail and _him _had shaped and molded her so quickly and so accurately, and yet in a way, they couldn't even compare to how she was shaped in the single year that he was gone.

Sometimes she'd look in the mirror and not even recognize herself, the guild stamp on her hand seeming oddly foreign when it'd once felt like home. They were no more. The guild she loved and the thing that'd shaped her into the woman she was today, completely gone.

And yet more than that, Natsu's absence made her feel like a child lost without its parent. She felt silly, even angry at herself sometimes when she realized exactly how much she relied on him. She counted on him, she felt comforted by his mere presence, and now that it was gone, she understood the extent to which he was her other half.

Over the year he was gone she was no longer molded by those around her that she considered family. Instead, she molded herself.

She was fed up with the clenching ache in her chest when she thought of him, and she was fed up with feeling lost without her guild. And so she did something about it herself. She stood up tall, put on a strong face, and pushed herself towards who she wanted to be.

Over that year she changed. Even if she missed them terribly, or even beyond terribly, she changed into the person she'd always wanted to be. She was strong, she had a sense of self, and she made her own way in the world, chasing after her passions and making them a reality with her own hands.

And so even when she saw his face again in the arena, her heart plummeting to her stomach before shooting back up into her throat, her eyes filling with tears as she saw him once again after missing him for an entire year, she wasn't, or maybe even _couldn't _mold back to the Lucy she'd once been.

She felt her old self, her old happiness, bubbling to the surface again as she sat close to him, as she found her old friends, and as they began to rekindle that family vibe they'd always had. But she wasn't the same girl she was before, and she knew the others, and Natsu, could see it.

Because she wasn't constantly teetering on the bridge between weak and strong. She was her own person, Lucy Heartfilia, and she'd grown to embrace it. She'd found herself over the year that she'd felt so lost. And while it was a little bittersweet, an overwhelming sense of accomplishment came along with it, the likes of which she hadn't felt before.

And part of her knew, by the small sparkle in his eyes when he looked at her, that he was proud in his own way of how she'd grown without him.

* * *

_The Sinnoh League Challenge - Route 201 part 5 - write about a journey - the journey is a spiritual one as opposed to a physical one_

**Maybe it's just me but I felt like Lucy is the one who changed the most over the year gap. She just seems different, more grown-up even, to me now.  
And I also feel like Natsu would be proud of her, but he would also be sad that he'd missed seeing her growth.**

**Anyway, next drabble will be about the gap from Natsu's view this time. :D**

**~Foxtail-chan**


	15. His Journey

_~He'd changed so much over the year he was gone.~_

* * *

_**His Journey**_

Dashing off after the battle with Tartaros, Natsu didn't give much of a second thought as to what he was leaving behind. He left Lucy a note, he took Happy with him, and he set off on a long journey that he knew was needed.

Maybe the smile on his face was unwavering, even during times of tribulation or when every inch of his body screamed at him to give the training a rest, but on the inside, it was different.

Something about that battle, something about losing Igneel and watching his guildmates suffer, something about _this _time had been different.

He knew who he was. He'd never had a question about it. He was a friend, a partner, and someone that could be trusted. He was Natsu Dragneel, and he knew what that meant. And yet something about knowing that his father had been with him the entire time, even as he searched endlessly for him, was shaking. Something new beat in his chest when he thought about the past, and something itched at him to sit and really think it over.

If asked, it seemed Natsu Dragneel was quite close to the absolute _last _person that anyone thought would have a soul-searching trip.

Yes, he did train while he was away, form an even closer bond with Happy, and grow even stronger physically than he'd ever been before. But what he found that was worth even more than that, was a new side to himself. He couldn't put it into words exactly, but it was almost as if he'd found the missing piece to himself that he hadn't known was gone. He was still the smiling and carefree boy he'd always been, and yet he'd found a confidence that wasn't foolhardy, empathy that wasn't driven by the fear of losing the ones he loved, and a sense of self that made him feel more at home in his own body than he'd ever felt before.

He didn't know if the others could see the change in him when he returned. He noticed at least minor changes in them, so he figured perhaps they'd at least noticed he was a little less… "act first think later", anyway. He noticed the biggest change in Lucy, who looked so different, and yet felt the same. Well, almost the same.

He'd missed her the most over that year. He'd had a lot of growth because of the thought of her, too. He wanted to be a better partner for her, a better person and someone that she could rely on for more than just having her back in a fight. And he hoped he could show her now how he'd changed into that person, and hopefully what she needed.

He couldn't ever exactly place how she was different, just as he didn't have words for his own growth over the year. It would bother him sometimes, and yet at others he felt content not ever truly knowing, as if it was simply how it was to be.

Because when she looked at him, her eyes shining like they always had, he still saw his Lucy, but he also saw a girl who wasn't confused anymore, who wasn't worried about troubling others, and who had found herself and a strong confidence just like he had. And once again those eyes seemed to splay out in front of him the entire world, just as they'd done the first day he'd met her, somehow reassuring him that all was well, and that while they'd both changed and both of their hearts had ached terribly over the year, that it'd been worth it, and they were both better for it as well.

* * *

_The Sinnoh League Challenge - Route 201 part 5 - write about a journey - the journey is a spiritual one as opposed to a physical one_

**And so, the one from Natsu's pov. I feel like that year really changed Natsu and Lucy, more than any of the missions or anything. But maybe that's just me. XD **

**Anyway, so this is the second little half to it. Just random little drabbley things, but I hope you enjoyed! :D**

**~Foxtail-chan**


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